Report on recent activities of Macedonarmân Council

* International Conference : Languages of the Wider World-Understanding Resilience and Shift in Regional & Minority Languages - This second international conference was organised jointly by the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning of the Fryske Akademy (The Netherlands) and the SOAS-UCL Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning “Languages of the Wider World” (LWW CETL) (UK). The conference took place from 6-8 April 2011 in the charming city of Leeuwarden, the capital of the bilingual province Fryslân (Netherlands). This conference brought together researchers and practitioners from these various fields to define, analyse and explore new directions and paradigms in understanding resilience and shift of regional and minority languages.
The Macedonarmân Council accredited three representatives to participate at this Conference with the theme “Bilingualism, a new stage in the construction of the European identity – the case of Macedonarmâns”

* International Conference : “Partnership for Diversity” – From linguistic and cultural rights towards the building of a European society – 27 th November 2010, Lorient (Brittany) / France, organised jointly by The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages and Kevre Breizh (Coordination Culturelle Associative de Bretagne). The Council of Macedonarmâns accredited four representatives to take part at this Conference.

* International Seminar : Images of Minority Languages – 1 June 2010, Brussels / Belgium, organised jointly by The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages and The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland. The Council of Macedonarmâns accredited two representatives to this Seminar and submitted to the Secretariat of the Seminar a statement concerning the bilingualism and the double ethnic identity in the case of Macedonarmân people.

* United Nations Forum on Minority Issues – Second Session, 12th – 13th of November 2009, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, with the thematic focus “Minorities and Effective Political Participation”. The Council of Macedonarmâns accredited four representatives to this Forum and submitted to the Secretariat of the Forum on Minority Issuesa a statement concerning The Minorities and Effective Political Participation in the Balcan states, focused on Macedonarmâns, had also an oral intervention.

* International Conference : Multilingualism, Regional & Minority Languages, University of London, 16th – 17th of April 2009, organised jointly by the SOAS-UCL Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Languages of the Wider World (LWW CETL) and the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning of the Fryske Akademy. Themes : Language Transmission outside the school, Multilingual Education, New technologies in teaching and learning languages, Social benefits & costs of multilingualism. The Council of Macedonarmâns has accredited two representatives to participate at this Conference with the theme “Transmission of Armân / Macedonarmân language and culture in the multilingual educational context within Balkan States”.

* United Nations Forum on Minority Issues – Inaugural Session, 15th – 16th of December 2008, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, with the thematic focus “Minorities and the Right to Education”. The Council of Macedonarmâns accredited three representatives to this Forum, who have held two speeches with comments on the proposed draft recommendation.

* International Seminar, European Parliament, 16th – 17th April 2008, Bruxelles, with the thematic focus “Minorities in Greece”, two accredited persons, on the part of Armân Council, have attended this seminar.

* Cross – border Cooperation Seminar, 25th – 28th of October 2007, Disentis, Switzerland, organised by Convivenza(International Center for Minorities) in cooperation with the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN). Many Reports on the Situation by State Representatives and Members of Armân Associations(member Associations of Armân Council), State of Cross-border Contacts and Cooperation and Common Problems, were held; a final Resolution was adopted.

* International Seminar : Multilingualism, Regional & Minority Languages, 10th – 11th May 2007, Leeuward, Netherlands organised by the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning of the Fryske Akademy. Thema: Multilingual Education. Two accredited persons have held speeches concerning “Armâns, an example of multilinguism”.

* International Forum: Partnership for Diversity, EBLUL, 29th – 30th of June 2006, Skye, Scotland, forum for discussion and exchange of views and experiences which brought together European citizens from a great variety of often remote places and regions with hidden cultures and languages.

* International Seminar on Minotity Issues, Bolzano 25-27 October 2006 with the thematic focus “Minderheiten, Alles was Recht ist…!!!”, 4 representatives of the Arman Community of Romania(member of Council of Armâns) attended this Seminar.

* Annual FUEN Congresses, with the participation of the Associations which are members of the Armân / Macedonarmân Council (Armân Community of Romania, Center for Armân Language and Culture of Bulgaria).

2. Organizing Cultural Activities

* Organizing of The Great Assembly of Armâns ( Macedonarmâns ), on 5 th of August 2012 in Krushevo / Republic of Macedonia, when Armân Communities from Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, United of America, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, gathered in Krushevo (Crushuva) to celebrate thethe first republic in Balkans, the ten days Republic of Krushevo from August 1903. The mountain town Krushevo (Crushuva) was founded at the end of 18th century by the Makedon-Armâns who had left the burned places of Moschopolis in search of a similar place in order to establish “a new Moschopolis”, after this was burned down in 1769. The towm of Moschopolis in Albania is considered the birthplace of the Armân Enlightenment.

* Organizing of The Great Assembly of Armâns ( Macedonarmâns ), on 15 th of August 2010 in Moschopolis ( Voskopoje) / Albania, when Armân Communities from Albania, Romania, Bulbaria, Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, United of America, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, gathered in Moschopolis / Voskopoje to celebrate the feast of Virgin Mary. This event was organized to celebrate the traditions and history of important regional community which contributed remarkably to the regional and European culture and it did not represent only an occasion for highlighting the beauty of music, culture and traditions, was also a deep reflection on the historical fate of Macedonarmân people. This great assembly has brought together over ten thousand of citizens of Armân origins, from the aforementioned states.

* Organizing of The First Conference of the Macedonarmân Council, on 12th of December 2009 in Korce / Albania. The forum of this inaugural session provided a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation among all representative Armân associations from Balkan countries on issues pertaining to preserving, developing and promoting the Armân language, culture and traditions, as well as the whole Armân specific spirit in every state where Armâns live and where they associate themselves in representative organizations.

* Organizing of two cultural days in Albania and Greece ( on 13th of December 2009 in Korce / Albania, on 14 th of December 2009 in Veria / Greece ) with the participation of a theatre group from Bukarest-Romania.

* Organizing of the Armân National Day in Bucharest ( 23rd of May 2008 / 2009 / 2010 ) with an audience of thousands of people from many Balkan countries.

* Organizing of the Armân Cultural Days ( each year, End of August, in Constanza – Romania ), with the participation of artists, theatre groups and folklor assambles from Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, R. of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia.

* Organizing of annual meeting in Dupnitsa/Bulgaria (Conference and Folklore Festival) with the participation of folklore groups from Bulgaria(Velingrad, Sofia, Rakitova, Dorkova, Peshtera) and from other Balkan countries.

* Organizing of two cultural days in Albania ( on 20th of December 2008 in Korce, on 21st of December 2008 in Tirana ) with the participation of a theatre group from Bukarest-Romania and cooperation on organizing of the Conference of the “Armân Union of Albania”, on 21st of December 2008 in Tirana.

3. Strasbourg, Council of Europe

* The Council of Armâns (Macedonarmâns) accredits a delegation to meet, during of each Parliamentary week in Srasbourg(4 times/year), persons from various departments in order to establish practical methods of cooperation with the Council of Europe on minority issues, on promotion of cultural and natural diversity, on education and linguistic diversity issues.